Fresh Start
by RY16
Summary: After Oikawa busted his knee he didn't want anything to do with him anymore, or with anyone else. Iwaizumi tried to reach out but eventually he gave up. Now, after years apart they meet when they least expect.


Iwaizumi took a quick glance at his watch, registering just enough to know he was late. The pitter patter of rain and the splashing on the puddles deafened him to any sounds around him. For once, he couldn't hear the fast-paced, partial conversations going on all around him. That sort of silence, he thought, was blissful.

He finally arrived at the station, an enormous mass of people before his eyes. Shoving and shuffling through more people than he could count, he somehow managed to reach platform.

Innumerous people stood idly, most of them with a deep wrinkle between his brows and dark circles under their eyes. The working class – one that Iwaizumi was a part of for little more than a year now.

He sighed and rubbed his temples, clutching his bag tighter under his arm. He started working as a lawyer right after he graduated. He applied to the best firm in the prefecture, a bit far from his house but _it was_ the best. It was a good, honest job... and yet, he wasn't as pleased with his life as he felt he should be. He'd done everything he was supposed to, he'd gone to a good high school, had good grades, did more than great at his club. He got accepted into the university he wanted to, graduated fairly close to the top of his class and now had a good job with a great salary, a nice house... so why?

The ground shaking and an increasingly loud sound brought him back to reality and he glanced to his left, spotting the train slowing down as it approached the platform.

His eyes narrowed then, his lips parting in surprise as he observed a brunet waiting for the train. He turned towards Iwaizumi as a pair of doors stopped in front of him but he couldn't catch the man's face before dozens of bodies rushed out of the train. He glanced over again but was pushed by the crowd and soon forgot what he thought he saw.

…

He quickly rid himself of his jacket and scarf, briefcase open on top of the desk with a laptop under one arm. The meeting had begun precisely four minutes ago. As he jogged towards the glass-framed conference room he could see everyone was already sitting, and his boss was pacing back and forth gesturing with his hands as he addressed his audience.

He silently pulled the glass door and tiptoed to his seat as quickly as possible. Iwaizumi's eyes met his bosses'. Although invisible to most, Iwaizumi could perceive the glare underneath the smile and fancy words he was currently using to explain to other associates what the problem was.

"The bottom line is, gentleman," he stopped and shoved his pants pockets. "Some information regarding our clients was leaked."

A murmuring broke amongst the formerly quiet lawyers, all of which, Iwaizumi noticed had just been hired. Fresh out of law school, the lowest in the food chain. Iwaizumi swallowed dry.

He glanced around at his colleagues, searching. It was obvious they suspected one of them. Otherwise there would've been older members in the meeting. Iwaizumi was searching for some sign, some trace of guilt or fear but it was useless. Everyone was nervous and frightened, of course. Every single one of them, innocents included, were afraid to lose their job. But providing inside information, information that was protected by the attorney-client privilege could get them disbarred, perhaps even arrested.

Several pairs of eyes darted back and forth around the room as suspicion rose. No longer friends or even colleagues, they were enemies. Not one of them was to be trusted, Iwaizumi knew. These people, some of which he'd met in college, were all wolves waiting for the right moment to strike – and they would do anything to get their prey.

Iwaizumi's gaze stopped on a man at the front of the table on the side opposite to his. He had his hoodie pulled up, messy chocolate-brown hair pulled to the side, hiding most of his forehead and a pair of brown eyes glued to a screen. The laptop's light made the dark circles under his eyes stand out but even then he could recognize the soft complexion of the carefree boy he once knew.

Oikawa Tooru. Iwaizumi leaned back in his chair, as to try to conceal himself behind the guy sitting next to him. He peeked at him though, from behind the guy's shoulder at Oikawa. "Oikawa," he muttered the name to himself. Geez, how long had it been since they last saw each other? They used to be best friends, partners once and now he couldn't even remember the last time he'd seen him. Now, Iwaizumi thought, he was hiding behind someone so he could watch his childhood friend undetected. Wasn't he supposed to be an adult? He straightened his back and pulled his chair forward so he was closer to the desk.

After he busted his knee, Oikawa quit the team. Iwaizumi understood why he did that, he didn't even try to talk him out of it. They were in their third year, would it really be that good for him to stay for a few more months when he couldn't play anymore?

But then Oikawa shut him out too. He stayed inside all day, doing Iwaizumi wasn't sure what exactly since he barely let him in, barely talked to him…. Every day he'd go over to his house and Oikawa would just pretend he wasn't there. Iwaizumi was pissed he couldn't play too but he didn't stop being his best friend because of that! Oikawa wouldn't listen though… He was too mad, too upset, too depressed…. The last time he heard the brunet's voice, it wasn't his at all. It wasn't that cheerful little monkey who was always nagging him to get a girlfriend. It was someone else, someone else's voice. Someone who was cold and cruel, who didn't want to see the light of day.

But Iwaizumi tried. He tried again and again but then they graduated – and Oikawa left town as fast as he could.

"As I'm sure you've realized by now," this words brought him back to reality. "The consequences will be severe. Rest assured, though. The culprit will be found." His boss tapped on Oikawa's shoulder and gestured for him to get up. "This is Oikawa Tooru. Tech Zone has been kind enough to provide him full time to help bring the culprit to justice. If there is anything he needs," he said and flashed them a half smile, though his eyes didn't quite look like he was smiling. "Give it to him."

Oikawa glanced at people's faces with an unfazed expression until he saw a certain spiked-haired man. His eyes widened and his lips parted, moving as if he was speaking but no sound came out.

Iwaizumi could swear he'd mouthed his name.

When the meeting was finally over, Oikawa slammed his laptop shut, put on his sunglasses and left the room in a hurry. Iwaizumi quickly gathered his belongings and darted after him.

"Oikawa," he shouted. His childhood friend stopped in place. His back was turned to Iwaizumi, his body paralyzed in place. "Do you want to grab some coffee?" Oikawa turned in place and pulled down his sunglasses, folding them and tucking them into his jeans' pocket. "Sure," he muttered, avoiding Iwaizumi's gaze.

It was all he could come up at the time but to be honest, how was he going to have coffee with someone he hadn't seen in years? And with Oikawa of all people…

Iwaizumi decided it would probably be better if people didn't see them together at the office, so they went to the Starbucks across the street. Once they sat, the silence was a bit unsettling. Oikawa refused to look him in the eye and kept checking his phone. Clearly, he didn't want to be there, so why did he agreed to it in the first place? "So," Iwaizumi began. "You're working for a tech company?" He said it as a question though he already knew the answer.

"They didn't like it very much when I hacked them so it was that or go to prison. Let's face it with my looks, I wouldn't last long," he said matter-of-factly. A flash of a younger Oikawa crossed his mind. He pictured the same words coming out of his mouth with a cheeky smile instead of an unfazed expression. "I see," he murmured and took a sip from his coffee.

"I didn't picture you as a lawyer, though. I was sure you'd go pro but I guess we don't always get what we want…" Iwaizumi frowned. Of course, he wanted to go pro! We don't always get what we want? Bullshit!

"I wasn't good enough for them," he admitted. "I wasn't good enough without you. They didn't want me." Oikawa glanced up at him. "I'm sorry you feel that way but I'm only responsible for screwing up my own life," he took a sip from his latte.

Iwaizumi's hands clenched into fists. "Fuck you, Shittykawa." Oikawa nearly choked on his latte. It took him a minute to stop coughing. This time he was glaring at Iwaizumi. "Listen, your lack of talent is not my fault."

"Oh fuck off, this isn't about talent, or volleyball! It never was," he crushed the empty cup in his hand, dropping a disfigured ball of paper on the table. Oikawa frowned in confusion. "If you'd just gotten over yourself we—

He pressed his lips into a thin line and exhaled loudly, closing his eyes. "Look," he said, gazing down. "I'm not mad about not becoming a professional volleyball player. I'm mad because you disappeared off the face of the earth."

Oikawa's jaw dropped. "I…" He clasped his hands together around his cup and stared down at the hazelnut beverage. "I'm sorry," he said. "I was…"

"I know," Iwaizumi murmured.

"No, that's the point. You don't know," Oikawa blurted out. Iwaizumi's eyes locked onto Oikawa's as the brunet's watered. He blinked them away and shook his head. He exhaled loudly, his lips trembling. "You couldn't possibly understand. No one could."

"Tell me, then. Tell me, Tooru." Oikawa's eyes watered again at the sound of his name. "I… Every time, every time I looked at you I just…. I couldn't take it. I failed you, Iwa-chan, I failed you all. I couldn't— I can never play volleyball again!" He sobbed and clasped his hands against his mouth, avoiding Iwaizumi's gaze as the tears fell from his eyes. "What?" Iwaizumi stared at the boy in front of him, everything he felt back then coming back. "You didn't fail me, you didn't fail anyone!" How could he think that?

"I did, I—

"No, you didn't!" Iwaizumi cut him off. "You think any of us felt that way? We didn't, we just… We knew you couldn't play… Do you know how hard it was for any of them… how hard it was for me, to keep playing after you left?" His hands were shaking, a knot forming in his throat. "I haven't played since high school."

Oikawa's sobs had quieted down. He was blowing his nose on a napkin now, his cheeks as red as an apple. "I'm sorry," he murmured gazing at him with bloodshot eyes.

Iwaizumi closed his eyes for a moment and sighed. "It's okay, it's okay." He reached for Oikawa, reached for his hand when his phone started ringing. Both of them stared at the lit screen buzzing on the table. The caller was Iwaizumi's boss. "Take it," Iwaizumi said, pulling back his hand, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "Take it," he repeated.

Oikawa grabbed the device and rose to his feet to answer the call. Five minutes later when he returned Iwaizumi was gone.

There was something scribbled on a napkin in his stead.

It was a phone number.


End file.
